Gorman Group Purchases Princeton, B.C. Sawmill
Weyerhaeuser has announced it has reached an agreement to sell its lumber mill in Princeton, British Columbia, to the Gorman Group, owners of Gorman Bros. Lumber Ltd., a family-owned wood products manufacturer headquartered in West Kelowna, B.C. The purchase price is approximately $120 million CAD in cash, which includes Weyerhaeuser’s manufacturing facility, all associated timber license assets in British Columbia and the value of working capital, which will be subject to customary purchase price adjustments at closing.
Weyerhaeuser and Gorman Group have a long-standing relationship in Canada. Gorman Bros. Lumber is currently the Princeton mill’s largest customer, and Gorman Group has operated in Canada for more than 75 years, with offices and facilities in B.C. and Washington state.
“Weyerhaeuser’s Princeton operation will be a natural fit with the Gorman Group,” says Nick Arkle, CEO, Gorman Group. “We’ve had a strong connection to the Princeton operation for many years, and we know firsthand the skill, commitment and quality that define its team. We’re delighted to welcome this mill and its people into the Gorman Group family, as this move will strengthen our company, support the sustainability of good jobs in our communities and help us continue developing the world-class wood products we’re known for. This really will be a case of the whole being stronger than the sum of its parts. We’re looking forward to working together with First Nations, governments, communities and all our employees to make this a B.C. success story.”
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory review, with the sale of the mill expected to be completed in third quarter 2025, and the forest tenures to follow over the ensuing months. Weyerhaeuser expects to recognize a gain on the sale and incur a tax liability of approximately $15 million CAD. Weyerhaeuser’s other operations in Canada will not be affected by this transaction, and the company will continue to operate the Princeton mill independently of the Gorman Group until the transaction closes.
Latest News
Rebounding Lumber Market Meets Workforce Challenge
For years Pyramid Mountain Lumber Inc. thought the availability of logs was going to be their limiting factor for profitability and capital improvements. This winter they are up six million board feet in their log…
Global Softwood Lumber Trade Has Increased 66 Percent In Seven Years
Global softwood lumber trade increased 12 percent year-over-year to reach a new record high of 121 million m3 in 2016, per estimates by WRI. Since the global financial recession in 2009, there has been a…
Milder Temperatures Bring A New Challenge To Northern Timber Industry
Minnesota has experienced unusually high temperatures recently, even breaking records in some areas. However, while many have seen this as a relief from the state’s harsh winter, the timber industry has viewed it as a…
New York’s Baillie Lumber Co. Acquires J.T. Shannon Lumber Division, Sawmill
J.T. Shannon Lumber completed a going concern sale of its Superior Hardwoods division, including its state-of-the-art sawmill located in Montezuma, IN, to Hamburg, NY-based Baillie Lumber. Equity Partners HG and Bengur Bryan, both Maryland-based investment…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.